[Explanation] Lu Qin, an 80-year-old Dunhuang colored sculpture artist, spent more than 40 years exploring the production process of Dunhuang colored sculptures. He innovated "three-dimensional" murals and selected some of the Buddha images in the flat murals in the Mogao Grottoes. "It has been made into a three-dimensional colored sculpture that is convenient for tourists to carry. It is smart and compact and very popular.

　　The colored plastic factory that Lu Qin studied actually evolved from an abandoned rural primary school.

There are many exquisite colored sculptures displayed in the center of the classroom, with various shapes and meticulous workmanship. Most of them are modeled on the image of Buddha in the Mogao Grottoes.

　　[Concurrent] Dunhuang colored sculpture artist Lu Qinxue

　　Because in this Mogao Grottoes, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (many), only the mural paintings are in various shapes and styles. Each cave is different and the shape is very beautiful.

(This one) Although it is small, this one is mainly from the Mogao Grottoes murals, from the Northern Wei Dynasty and the Northern Zhou Dynasty. It has different styles, and the shapes on the murals are very beautiful. I made it into this round sculpture and formed a group of groups. Yes, this one is very popular.

　　[Explanation] According to Lu Qinxue, the biggest difficulty in making the flat images in the murals into three-dimensional colored sculptures lies in imagination. It is the most difficult to create the charm of both god and form.

How to design the body curvature?

Is the expression full and round?

You have to repeat the design for a long time each time to produce the charm of Dunhuang that satisfies you.

　　At present, there are two kinds of colored sculptures displayed in Lu Qinxue's colored sculpture factory, namely traditional clay sculptures and ceramic colored sculptures. In terms of materials, he uses Dunhuang local clay for the sculptures, and he uses "original" clay to make the sculptures. The original Mogao Grottoes have rewritten the history of “Dunhuang has not been pottery since ancient times”.

　　[Concurrent] Dunhuang colored sculpture artist Lu Qinxue

　　The mud in Dunhuang contains a lot of sand. The main thing is the mud that settled after the flood, and the layer of mud. This mud has a tighter character and a strong stickiness, which makes it easy to paint. This is unique to Dunhuang colored sculptures. feature.

In the past, there was no pottery in Dunhuang. Now the tourism industry has developed. Some (tourists) ask to bring this thing. The mud is not easy to carry, and it is not easy to preserve. The pottery can be preserved forever. It is acid and alkali resistant.

　　[Explanation] Mogao Grottoes have 45,000 square meters of murals and 2,415 clay sculptures. It is the largest and most abundant Buddhist art site in the world.

　　In Lu Qinxue's opinion, Dunhuang is relatively "inner show", so that the Dunhuang colored sculptures are hidden in deep boudoirs.

He has accepted more than a dozen apprentices and taught skills for free.

Later, some apprentices went to other places to develop, most of them changed careers halfway, and now only one daughter is with them.

Fortunately, my daughter has been very fond of this craft since she was a child, and "squeezed the mud in her hands" with her father to let more people know the charm of Dunhuang colored sculptures.

　　Gao Ying and Yan Jiao report from Dunhuang, Gansu

Editor in charge: [Li Ji]